Young grads finding future as entrepreneurs of food

With the job market tanking and interest in restaurants and food growing, some highly qualified young graduates are making a mark in the world — not in the worlds of finance, accounting or law, but by finding a niche in the world of food.

Not long ago, the Philadelphia Business Journal profiled three Columbia University graduates who, stymied by the dismal job market, launched a chocolate company called Chocomize, making custom chocolate bars that have been featured on “Oprah” and have received accolades from President Obama but also rocker Tommy Lee.

“I think a lot of it still has to do with the economy. There are a lot of people who may have studied finance and couldn’t get a job, people who are intelligent, go-getters who decide they want to get into business on their own,” said Matt Mealey, a Temple University MBA who started Kiwi Yogurt with his sister Ryan Mealey two years ago. “What happened was we got into a business where 99 percent of our customers come in happy and leave happy. It’s no hassle to sell and no hassle to buy.”

They’re not the only grads striking gold by striking out on their own.

They started Pudding Lane, a Havertown store serving many varieties of speciality, gourmet pudding.

“We’re competing in the dessert segment. We’re a dessert alternative, something different from water ice, ice cream, chocolate shops,” said Leibowitz of Haverford. “We have flavors like ‘blimey limey,’ maple walnut, French toast. This is not your mom’s pudding.”

The idea started at a minor league baseball game in Scranton.

“We saw a guy selling pudding,” said Leibowitz. “It was 180 degrees from what we were doing.”

They researched the product, developed recipes, found a third-party kitchen to produce some and also tried their hand at their own stove-top puddings.

“It’s a different product. The challenge is to get people in [the store],” said Binder, a Penn Valley native. “I think they think of Kozy Shack rice pudding or Bill Cosby Jell-o pudding. This is gourmet, cooked on a stove. You couldn’t do this on a large scale.”

Pudding Lane opened in September and they are already scouting out potential locations in Center City and University City.

“We would love to become the Rita’s of pudding,” said Binder.

In a spicier arena, three South Jersey natives who recently graduated from Flagler College in Florida have teamed up to start Hank Sauce, hot sauce in a bottle.

“My buddy Brian Ruxton — or Hank, as I’ve called him for years — is the ‘cheftastic’ mastermind behind the savory blend,” said the company’s graphic designer and chief marketer, Matthew Pittaluga. “As a chef at Braca Cafe in Sea Isle City (N.J.), Hank originally made the sauce for personal use. It became popular with fellow employees and roommates, earning the underground name of ‘the B RUX special.’”

Ruxton, a Collingswood, N.J., native, graduated last year and was growing frustrated with the Florida job market. He approached friends Pittaluga and Oaklyn, N.J.-native Joshua Jaspan, who were in similar straits.

“Hank was about to sell cars at Honda when he approached me one night and said, ‘Screw this, lets make Hank Sauce a reality. We had discussed it before but never took action. We knew the name was rock solid and I started designing the logo and the branding,” Pittaluga said.

They used Ruxton’s recipe and Pittaluga’s shark-like logo. They were able to get it into restaurants and yet the trio faces obstacles every entrepreneur faces.

“The feedback has been incredibly positive,” said Pittaluga, adding: “We are searching for startup money and working full time so we can really get the Hank flying. We have big plans as far as growth goes.”

For now, Pittaluga is “slinging pizzas” at a restaurant in Sea Isle City. But he knows an opportunity when he sees it.

Recently, Philadelphia Flyers star Jeff Carter ordered pizzas from the shop — and Pittaluga added a few bottles of Hank Sauce to the delivery.

Two years ago, the Mealey siblings were in a similar situation.

They opened their first shop in June 2009 in University City (originally as Sprinkles). They were profiled in the Business Journal at the time.

In two years, Kiwi has expanded to Cherry Hill, Collegeville, West Chester and State College.

This summer, Kiwi plans to open a location in Haverford by July Fourth weekend, and a Malvern store is in the works. They’re also considering Glen Mills and Princeton.

“We’re basically in the phase now where we’re adding managers, so my sister Ryan and I can continue to run the business and look for new locations,” Mealey said.